Lloyd Russell, AIA, was thinking of New York City's Flatiron Building when he decided to tackle this weird triangular lot, just 2,000 or so feet from a San Diego International Airport runway and next to one of the city's busiest thoroughfares. “The site was so extreme, I don't think anyone believed you could build something there,” Russell says.

What evolved is a compositionally rich building that mitigates noise, thanks to random-patterned concrete perimeter walls, commercial-grade double-glazed windows, and deep overhangs that shield the windows from refracting sound waves. Inside, not knowing how livable it would be, Russell hedged his bets by building and wiring for multiple uses. He lives on the second floor, which includes an expandable mezzanine with separate entrance, and rents out retail space on the first floor.

The jury praised the creative transformation of an urban throwaway site. Said one judge: “It's really well-edited and pictographic.”